Triumph certainly seem to have gotten the formula right when they released their Thruxton R. I’ve heard both seasoned motorcycle journalists and Thruxton R owners state that there’s nothing they’d change about the top of the range cafe racer. For the most part, I’d agree, but I’m also a big believer that…

I’m proud to call Australia home and it’s because of my love for this big hot island down under that I’ve teamed up with Luke Ray from Fuel Tank to create a very special, Aussie-centric event. SIX ONE is a new custom automotive exhibition set to take place in Melbourne on April…

It’s not often I hear of custom workshops offering 3-year warranties. However, new Bulgarian workshop Thracian bikes are doing just that with their first shop release, the ‘Primo’ Honda CB750. This is because they are confident this nut and bolt overhaul won’t let its new owner down, and it’s easy to see…

There are only a handful of automotive films that I regard as truly great. Sitting at the top of the list is George Miller’s 1979 production of Mad Max. In the role that defined his career, Mel Gibson played Max Rockatansky, a police officer fighting to keep the peace in an unhinged…

Rich in wildlife and beautiful scenery the Kangaroo Valley in New South Wales is one of Australia’s hidden gems. Divided by the Kangaroo River, the valley also offers some of the states best riding roads. In the next collaboration with Stories of Bike and Transport for NSW, we join Dan on his custom…

It may come as a surprise, but cafe racers aren’t the only style of custom motorcycle I admire. Back when I launched Return of the Cafe Racers I was (obviously) obsessed with the cafe style, but over time I’ve developed a soft spot for pretty much all manner of motorcycle customisation. Thankfully,…

For most of its existence, the AMD World Championship of bike building has focused on chopper styled builds. Thankfully in recent years that’s changed. AMD has cottoned on to the fact that there are other styles that are just as popular as choppers…like, for instance, cafe racers. As a result AMD now…

Although I spend a lot of time traveling to international shows, what excites me the most is the work of Australia’s homegrown talent. Handcrafted is a new Australian custom motorcycle documentary from the crew at Purpose Built Moto and Electric Bubble. It’s a beautifully shot and directed documentary that interviews a handful…

In the world of modern-retro motorcycles, there’s a new player who is somewhat of a black sheep. That’s mainly due to the fact that this motorcycle isn’t as “retro” looking as it’s brethren. To get around the issue its manufacturer (Honda) has created a new category of motorcycle which they’ve coined ‘Neo…

When Eric Buell released the Buell M2 Cyclone it sat in a sweet spot in his tubular framed range. The sportier S1 Lightning was quick but known for being uncomfortable while the S3 Thunderbolt sports tourer was a bit on the portly side. Sitting between the 2 was the Cyclone that bettered…

When you are the organiser of what is arguably the biggest custom motorcycle event in the world it goes without saying you should be riding a custom bike of your own. Federico Agnoletto is the man behind the Verona based ‘Motor Bike Expo’ which attracted an astounding 167,000 visitors in 2018. After…

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Est. 2006 Return of the Cafe Racers is the world's premier cafe racer focused website. We publish regular features on custom motorcycle builds, riding gear reviews, how to guides and event coverage from around the globe. If you're a fan of cafe racer motorcycles and style then you've come to the right place!